Marathon runners beat the heat to raise cash for Big Red Night Bus

The team of 21 runners, including Emmerdale actor Joe-Warren Plant, arrived at the finish line on Waterloo Road on Sunday, July 17, after completing their two-day relay to raise money for the creation of the ‘Big Red Night Bus’, a bright red London double-decker providing homeless people with safe emergency accommodation.

READ: Work about to start to transform London double decker into 'Big Red Night Bus' for Blackpool's homeless population

The night bus, which will be renovated to house up to 10 homeless people each night, parked at the Waterloo Music Bar to welcome the runners home.

Amazing Graze soup kitchen founder Mark Butcher, who has been a driving force behind the Big Red Night Bus project, acted as a marshal for the relay. He said: “I can’t believe the number of people who turned out to support us, all the way from Squires Gate Lane to Waterloo Road.

"It was incredible moving; I didn’t expect the turn-out and neither did the runners, so it was a wonderful surprise to get the welcome that we did.

"The marathon was gruelling to the point that even the marshals struggled. Everybody finished; some of us were a lot slower than others, but that’s OK – it wasn’t a race, it was a relay.

“It was tricky, I’ve got to say, and one of the most difficult things I’ve ever organised, and we were wiped out at times, but we were so determined to do it, nothing was going to stop us.

"Sunday was the toughest day of all. We were all tired, it was so hot you couldn’t think straight, and very difficult. But we had nothing but encouragement from the public all the way from Skegness to Blackpool."

The group raised £8,000 and counting for the night bus, which will be matched by a donation from housing company Rowland Homes.

Mark said: “It was a great way to unify people. It seems we reached the hearts of people and captured everybody’s attention, which is the most important part of this. People have realised now the passion that is going into this project, and that has caught on.”